Ferry grounded after captain likely fell asleep – report

A ferry was grounded on an island in the Pentland Firth after the ship’s captain “almost certainly fell asleep”, a report has found.

A total of 41 people were injured when the MV Alfred grounded on Swona on 5 July 2022 on a crossing from Gills Bay to St Margaret’s Hope in Orkney.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) also found that the ship “routinely” passed too close to land, and there was a “lack of assurance” that the ship’s crew were following proper procedures.

MAIB said they hoped “lessons would be learned” by both operator Pentland Ferries and the wider maritime industry from the incident, and that they were “encouraged” by steps the company had taken since then.

The investigation found that the ship’s master had “experienced a loss of awareness” while at the helm, which the report said was “almost certainly as a result of falling asleep for approximately 70 seconds”.

As a result, the Alfred swung towards the coast, where it struck the rocks at a speed of 13 knots.

There were 97 people on board the boat when the accident happened, and of the 41 injuries suffered, 10 were considered to be serious – the worst being a compound arm fracture.